HE ATTACKED WITH THE THREAD WHICH HE WOVE and Judithe raised her hand, ready to defend herself when she noticed the figure at the door. Startled at being found out like this, Judithe let her guard down and the sword which Dylan had crafted with his magic pierced her in the arm.
Avery was already on her feet before she heard her mother's shrill cry ring out with agony. She caught her before she hit the ground, noting that the sword had slashed deep enough to sever an artery.
She glared at the man, wondering who he was. She could tell by his ashen face and mustache that he was not from around here. She knew everyone in their village and she was sure she had never seen his face before.
Her hand shot to the quill which rested on her back but her mother's free arm caught it. "What have I told you about our guests?" her mother asked, looking her in the eyes.
Avery glared at her feet. "Treat them with respect." She answered.
Judithe nodded. "Yes. And this is our guest." She pushed herself to her feet, placing her hand over the wound which Dylan's sword inflicted on her. She was sorry to see that he had not changed, not even a little. He was still the same arrogant prick who would do anything to get what he wanted.
It was a shame that what he wanted this time was her daughter.
Avery stood to her feet, glaring at the strangers one by one and at the man who had shot her mother with – she glanced at the ground where the sword might've fallen and saw nothing – whatever that was.
"Who are you and why are you here?"
The man smiled. "I am Dylan." He said, waiting for the recognition to hit and sighed when he saw no signs of recognition in her eyes. The girl looked too much like Judithe. She took everything from her and nothing from him – he was hoping that the resemblance ended with physical appearance.
"I see your mother has not mentioned me." He touched his chest, allowing his eyes to stray to Judithe who was clutching the injury on her arm tight. He was sorry it had to come to this. Why would she not just weave a thread and heal it? Save him the guilt which was beginning to claw at his conscience.
"Judithe, you mind introducing us?"
Judithe sighed. "You have to go, Dylan. The court would have sensed the magic, you have used enough for them to trace it here."
Dylan shook his head. "If you will not tell her, then I will. You have always been a coward, was that not why you ran away with her all those years ago? Because you thought she was going to be the Yajan?"
"I will not have you talk to my mother like that." Avery spat, glaring daggers at the man. "The bigger coward is you. Attacking an unarmed woman in her own home."
Dylan smiled. "I guess the resemblance did not go further than physical looks then. Look at that fiery gaze, I can swear that it feels as if I am staring back at myself. Although she is going to need some refining."
Judithe winced at the throbbing in her shoulder and tightened her arm around the wound. "Please, Dylan, leave. They will be here soon and they will not leave until they know who wove the thread."
Avery squinted at her mother. "What are you talking about? What thread?"
"Ah… the girl is a curious one too…"
The men shot into the house without notice. Judithe jumped in front of her daughter protectively. Dylan, startled at the sudden entrance, shot a thread of lightning at the men, the group of men whom he came with spread out in all corners of the house and began to weave.
Avery had no idea what was happening. She could only watch in confusion as her mother diffused Dylan's magic and the surprise which sprang to his face. She pushed him to behind a counter and pulled Avery along with her, joining Dylan.
"Do you think I cannot take on those men myself?" He spat. "And how did you do that?"
Avery could not form a word. She was still too stunned from how fast everything was going and her mind was reeling from what she had just witnessed. Had this man just formed a lightning bolt out of thin air? And her mother had done what?
She could not tell what her mother did but whatever it was had made the lightning disappear just as soon as it appeared.
"Those are the dark lord's armies, Dylan. I have been keeping a low profile here and you just have to come and complicate things." Judithe hissed. "They will not leave here until they have the Soran."
Avery furrowed her brows. "Soran?" she asked, perplexed. "Like in the tales?"
Dylan rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me you have kept her in the dark about our kind and what we can do."
Judithe opened her mouth to speak when something pulled her from where she was squatting. She did not have time to gather her threads and weave before the Duren was clamped around her wrist. Avery started to help her mother but Dylan pulled her back roughly.
"If you go out there, they will take you." He said sharply, peeking at the men from behind the counter as they manhandled Judithe. He sighed as he saw them take two of the other men who had come with him, he could not find the other two with his eyes and hoped they had gone to safety.
He placed his back on the counter and glanced at the child who was still struggling against his grip.
"Stop struggling, you will only wear yourself out." He explained, as he began to weave the threads with his other hand, shielding them out of view. "I am using magic to restrain you and getting out of it is impossible."